Insulated packaging is not the be-all, end-all of ensuring that cold chain logistics are 100% foolproof. However, insulated packaging can be crucial in pushing those odds toward success. The typical product that needs temperature protection often gets it through active environmental systems. Reefer units, as they are called, have temperature-control systems that can keep an entire cargo container at the desired temperature for the product being shipped.
However, this means they no longer benefit from this protection once cargo is removed from a reefer for transfer to another vehicle or temporary storage in a warehouse or other hub. This is where insulated packaging can step in and prevent the dramatic temperature rise that would otherwise occur once products are removed from an active environmental system. However, there are things to keep in mind.
Frozen Or Chilled?
Different products have specific optimal temperatures for storage. Wine, for example, is not the same as chocolate, and capsules or pills are very different from vaccines. When shipping out temperature-sensitive products, you must know the optimal shipping temperature to decide which insulated packaging is most appropriate for preserving the temperature.
In cases, for example, layered cardboard does a good enough job that only slightly chilled products near room temperature can be safely shipped and retain that temperature. On the other hand, if cargo must be frozen, more sophisticated materials must be used to keep radiant heat repelled.
Other Factors
All insulated packaging can help to preserve the optimal shipping temperature for products, but in some cases, such as meal kits, there are other factors to consider. It’s not just temperature but light and even humidity that can impact the condition of raw ingredients being shipped to customers.
In these instances, additional factors can affect the shape, color, food safety, and whether or not the product arrives at the desired temperature. This is why, depending on the product, ensuring that the right kind of insulated packaging is used is crucial. Single or double-bubble aluminum mono-plastic PET ensures that raw meat, vegetables, and other ingredients for use in self-prepared meal kits arrive not just in edible condition but presentable condition, having benefited from physical, temperature, and even humidity protection, thanks to the insulating layers of air and aluminum that can repel heat and even light to protect the contents within. Different products, of course, may require other forms of protection. If you’d like to know more, contact Protek Cargo with your questions and get a quote.
